The Best Work Lights to Illuminate the Job Site
As we get further through the year, the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. It therefore becomes essential to invest in proper, high quality work lights to illuminate the job site, and to keep all of your team safe.
Since most construction sites don’t have a fixed light source, it’s important to choose a work light that is effective at lighting your whole work area. For particularly large areas, you might need a more comprehensive lighting solution with multiple light sources. Or for illuminating confined work spaces, you might need a lightweight handheld torch. With so many options it can be difficult to know what to go for!
In this guide we will cover the different types of work lights and their applications, so you can make the most informed decision and choose the best lighting solution for the task at hand.
Types of Work Lights
There are a huge variety of different lighting products available, for a range of applications – both on the job site, and off!
Let’s dive into the different types of lighting solutions for your home and workplace.
Handheld Lights & Flashlights
Easily the most popular types of lighting systems are handheld flashlights and torches. Relatively inexpensive, easy to use and extremely versatile, these torches are perfect for a huge variety of different DIY and professional applications.
As they can be carried around and used on the move, they’re perfect for working in confined spaces where larger light sources aren’t feasible. Head torches can even be strapped to the user’s head allowing for hands-free operation.
Usually powered by energy-saving LED bulbs, they are designed to last a long time with many featuring added IP54 water protection and a damage-resistant shell for extra protection against the elements.
While they certainly aren’t the most powerful light sources on this list, and they are only capable of lighting small work areas, they’re ideal for electricians, plumbers, or any other professions working with small spaces.
Work Lights
When you need a more powerful light source for a larger area, a work light or area light is the best choice. These lights come in a variety of different sizes and lighting styles to meet your lighting needs – whether you need entire rooms illuminated or just specific areas.
Powered by either LED or occasionally tungsten halogen bulbs, they are incredibly bright with a long lasting bulb life. Some use manufacturer-specific proprietary battery systems which are compatible with your existing tools for added convenience, long battery life and fast charge time.
Portable work lights are lightweight and easy to transport, so you can quickly set up the job site for night time working. Great all rounders for the job site, work lights are ideal for small to medium sized work areas.
Flood Lights
For lighting the biggest job sites and outdoor areas, flood lights are the best option. Lightweight and slimline, they’re capable of illuminating huge areas with their super bright LED bulbs.
Perfect for larger and darker work spaces, they’re great for eliminating darkened corners and allowing you to safely and easily work anywhere. They’re easy to transport and can be places on most surfaces, allowing for hands-free operation wherever you are.
Designed with a durable construction that is able to withstand heavy falls and knocks, they’re very popular in construction sites, manufacturing plants, and particularly dark working environments. Floodlights are also great for use in exterior home systems, with their super bright bulbs helping to deter intruders.
Tripod Site Lights
Tripod lights are the big brother of the work light. Thanks to their tripod base, these work lights are capable of illuminating an even bigger area!
These powerful spotlights are popular up and down the country, especially popular because of their large lighting area and effectiveness in particularly dark environments.
A great all-round solution, many come in cordless variants allowing you to operate them on the move, without needing a wall outlet nearby.
Festoon Lights
Festoon lights are great for lighting up an outdoor space or corridors and hallways in large job sites. Threaded together along a garland cable, they can cover a large area and are a great low-cost solution for lighting larger areas.
Available in both rechargeable and mains-powered models, they are designed to be robust and long-lasting, with many featuring metal cages around the bulbs to protect them from any damage. Ideal for construction sites, they can be hung on surfaces like hand rails, fences and walls.
Mounting Styles
When choosing your work light, you should consider which mounting style would be best for your work environment. Choosing the right mounting type can help to maximize the area of illumination, therefore lighting your job site more effectively.
Here are a few of the most common mounting styles:
Floor Stand: As the name suggests, these work lights feature a simple stand which allows them to sit on the floor and point upwards to direct the light around the job site. This added elevation helps provide stability against any movement or knocks.
Clamp Mount: Clamp mounting allows you to attach lights to round or square surfaces such as ladders, scaffolding, and frames. These are great for automotive work or attaching festoon lights.
Tripod Mount: Some flood lights or work lights can be attached to separate tripod stands, which helps lights a larger area due to the higher elevation.
Magnetic Mount: Magnetic mounts feature a heavy duty magnetic bottom allowing you to stick the light to jobsite surfaces such as roofs or walls. Perfect for lighting up cramped and awkward spaces.
Yoke Mount: Yoke mounts feature a flat bottom which allow you to securely attach the light to a flat surface, usually a wall.
Looking to light up your work site? Look no further than our affordable range of work lighting – we stock everything from site lighting, to head torches, and more!